Will Shu

He was born in December 1979{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/08167130/officers |title=ROOFOODS LTD - Officers (free information from Companies House) |website=Beta.companieshouse.gov.uk |access-date=2017-01-25}} in Connecticut to Taiwanese American parents.{{cite web|author=Samuel Fishwick |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/deliveroo-founder-will-shu-were-part-of-the-lexicon-in-this-country-a3270571.html |title=Deliveroo founder Will Shu: 'We're part of the lexicon in this country|website=Standard.co.uk |date=2016-06-16 |access-date=2017-01-25}} In 2001, Shu earned a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University. His first job was with Morgan Stanley in London as an investment banking analyst in 2001. Shu returned to the United States in 2010 to attend business school{{Cite news|url=https://startups.co.uk/will-shu-how-i-went-from-investment-banker-to-founder-of-200m-backed-tech-start-up-deliveroo/|title=Will Shu: From banker to founder Deliveroo {{!}} Startups|date=2016-08-05|work=Startups.co.uk: Starting a business advice and business ideas|access-date=2018-02-27|language=en-GB}} and earned a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2012.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

Before founding Deliveroo, Shu worked as an analyst for S.A.C. Capital Advisors and ESO Capital, and as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. He founded Deliveroo in 2013 with childhood friend and software engineer Greg Orlowski.{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/image/document/2016-6/deliveroo_13855.pdf|title=Introduction to Deliveroo|date=4 February 2016|access-date=12 November 2016|website=European Commission}}{{cite news|author=Zoe Wood |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/aug/11/deliveroo-investment-company-unicorn-status |title=Deliveroo founder Will Shu drives company towards 'unicorn' status |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=2017-01-25}} Shu had the idea to start Deliveroo while working in Morgan Stanley's London office and seeing the lack of delivery options while working late nights.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/startup-of-the-week-deliveroo|title=Startup of the Week: Deliveroo|last=WIRED|access-date=2018-02-27}} Shu worked as the company's first delivery person, delivering food every day for the first eight months in order to understand the customer experience.{{Cite news|url=https://startups.co.uk/will-shu-how-i-went-from-investment-banker-to-founder-of-200m-backed-tech-start-up-deliveroo/|title=Will Shu: From banker to founder Deliveroo {{!}} Startups|date=2016-08-05|work=Startups.co.uk: Starting a business advice and business ideas|access-date=2017-11-21|language=en-GB}}

Deliveroo operated in London for the first two years, growing via word of mouth. In 2015, the company expanded internationally to Paris, Berlin and Dublin. Deliveroo reached a valuation of more than £1.5 billion in November 2017, operating in 12 countries and more than 150 cities.{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/17/food-delivery-upstart-deliveroo-adds-another-98m-to-its-latest-round-now-at-480m/|title=Food delivery upstart Deliveroo adds $98M to its Series F, now totals $480M|last=Lunden|first=Ingrid|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2017-11-21|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/deliveroo-founder-will-shu-ipo-2017-11?r=UK&IR=T|title=Will Shu, the founder of $2 billion Deliveroo, said an IPO is 'somewhat logical' for the company|work=Business Insider|access-date=2017-11-21|language=en}}

In February 2016, Orlowski, who had been working as Deliveroo's chief technology officer, left "to spend more time with his wife in Chicago after the birth of their daughter".{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/deliveroo-loses-cofounder-and-tech-boss-as-greg-orlowski-returns-to-us-a3191726.html|title=Deliveroo loses co-founder and tech boss as Greg Orlowski quits | London Evening Standard|author=Jamie Nimmo|date=2016-02-29|website=Standard.co.uk|access-date=2017-01-25}}

Shu famously continues to work shifts as a Deliveroo driver, delivering food around London every few weeks.{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/will-shu-deliveroo-workers-rights-employment-status-ruling-2017-11|title=Will Shu talks about the workers' rights litigation that threatens $2 billion Deliveroo|work=Business Insider|access-date=2017-11-21|language=en}}

Shu received criticism for raising his personal salary to £125,000 a year, a 22.5% increase, amidst a dispute over riders' status and company losses in 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/sep/21/deliveroo-boss-gives-himself-225-rise-amid-battle-over-riders-pay|title=Deliveroo boss Will Shu gives himself 22.5% rise amid battle over riders' pay|last=Butler|first=Sarah|date=2017-09-21|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-02-27}} Administrative expenses, such as hiring new staff and a new London office, multiplied from £28.8m to £142.2m, resulting in a large loss.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/09/21/deliveroo-revenues-grow-600pc-losses-stack/|title=Deliveroo revenues grow over 600pc but losses stack up|last=Titcomb|first=James|date=2017-09-21|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2018-02-27|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} In addition, Shu gave out close to £4.5m in share bonuses to directors and hundreds of other head office staff.{{Cite web|url=https://corporatewatch.org/deliveroo-wheres-the-money/|title=Deliveroo: where's the money? – Corporate Watch|website=corporatewatch.org|date=24 October 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-02-27}}

Deliveroo was one of many gig workers companies facing legal challenges over the employment model of its delivery riders. Four court judgements, most recently a Court of Appeal's judgement in 2021, confirmed that Deliveroo's riders are self-employed independent contractors.{{Cite news |date=2021-06-24 |title=UK Court of Appeal confirms Deliveroo riders are self employed |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-court-appeal-confirms-deliveroo-riders-are-self-employed-2021-06-24/ |access-date=2022-08-15}}

{{Further|Deliveroo#Strike}}

Shu lives in London.

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Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Notting Hill

Category:American expatriates in England

Category:American investment bankers

Category:Morgan Stanley employees

Category:Businesspeople from Connecticut

Category:American chief executives

Category:American people of Taiwanese descent

Category:Northwestern University alumni

Category:American company founders

Category:Wharton School alumni

Category:American chief executives of food industry companies

Category:Businesspeople from London